‘Paradise’ Season 3 Adds ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Supergirl’ Stars in Space Roles
Hulu’s ‘Paradise’ has quietly become one of the most ambitious sci-fi thrillers on streaming, and its third season is already proving that creator Dan Fogelman has no interest in playing it safe. The series began as a mystery thriller set inside an underground bunker following a catastrophic global event, but over time the story shifted deeper into science fiction territory. What started as a slow-burn apocalyptic drama has evolved into something far more sprawling, and season three is poised to push that ambition further than ever.
The now-destroyed bunker has left former Secret Service agent Xavier Collins, played by Sterling K. Brown, with a new mission tied to saving the world in the aftermath. Season 2 escalated the stakes considerably, introducing an advanced quantum AI and ending with a revelation pointing Xavier toward a second bunker hidden beneath the Denver airport.
Executive producer John Hoberg told The Hollywood Reporter that the creative team knows what the ending looks like, and that it would make a fourth season very difficult to follow. In other words, season three is shaping up to be the endgame.
The casting news for that final chapter is where things get genuinely wild. Creator Dan Fogelman shared a set photo on Instagram showing ‘Lord of the Rings’ star Elijah Wood and ‘Supergirl’ star Melissa Benoist on what appears to be a spaceship bridge, both dressed in astronaut gear.
Fogelman captioned the image with the words “S3, you have no idea where this thing is going,” and the internet has been spinning theories ever since. Cast member Krys Marshall jumped into the comments to quip that Dan cannot keep a secret to save his life.
The astronaut imagery marks a significant departure for the series, which has primarily centered around a post-apocalyptic Earth, with season one unfolding entirely within the underground bunker. Fan theories have already started pouring in, with some suggesting Wood and Benoist could be playing crew members who were already in orbit when disaster struck on the surface. Others are floating ideas involving time jumps or multiverse-adjacent storytelling given the show’s established taste for sci-fi escalation.
Wood brings a busy slate to the role, as he is confirmed to reprise Frodo Baggins in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ and is also expected to return as Walter Tattersall in ‘Yellowjackets.’ Benoist, best known for playing the titular hero in ‘Supergirl,’ more recently appeared as a series regular in Netflix’s ‘The Waterfront.’ Both bring serious genre credibility to a show that is clearly leaning harder into its speculative fiction roots.
Wood and Benoist join previously announced addition Julianna Margulies, the Emmy winner known for ‘The Good Wife’ and ‘ER,’ whose role is still being kept under wraps. Filming for season three is already underway, and the renewal was confirmed on March 17, 2026, less than two weeks after the season two finale aired. The returning ensemble includes Brown, Sarah Shahi, Thomas Doherty, Enuka Okuma, Aliyah Mastin, and Charlie Evans.
‘Paradise’ seasons one and two are currently streaming on Hulu, and with space now apparently on the table, the show is daring its audience to keep up. Let us know in the comments what you think Elijah Wood and Melissa Benoist’s roles will be in ‘Paradise’ season three.
